Live from the Republican Dystopia: Post-WWII Republican ideology has always walked a fine line--that America was under grave threat, but that everything was or would be sunny if only people would elect Republicans. Goldwater sought to undo Roosevelt's New Deal as a historic mistake--but all would then be well. Nixon sought to divide the country in two, with the bigger half on his side and the liberal communist Black hippie professors on the other side--but all would be well if they just stayed in their place. Reagan made it the country vs. the bureaucrats: his part of the government would help you by keeping the rest of the government from trying to help you--and was, of course, much sunnier.
Now, however, we have what seem to be Fox News Republicans: Fox News's business model is to terrify its watchers so that they keep their eyes glued to the screen and so their eyeballs can be sold to advertisers. Good business model from a money making perspective. Really lousy public service. And it is not at all clear for any candidate it's scaring your people will keep them watching you, let alone pull voting-booth levers for you:
Francis Wilkinson: In Republican Civil War, Dark Forces Reign: "The Republican presidential debate last night revealed a party markedly different...
